Franco, C.Tate, M.Oades, J.2007-05-102007-05-101995Soil Research, 1995; 33(2):253-2630004-9573http://hdl.handle.net/2440/27341<jats:p>The bulk of the organic matter in sands from the south-east of South Australia is present as discrete particles which constitute 4-6% of the mass of the sand. Hydrophobic particulate organic matter was separated from non-wetting sand obtained from two sites in the south-east of South Australia and characterized with respect to size and ability to induce water-repellency. When heated with both a wettable acid washed sand and a natural sand (non-wetting sand washed free of particulate organic matter), the intrinsic particulate organic matter induced strong water-repellence. The degree of hydrophobicity created was higher with the natural-washed sand than the acid-washed sand which indicated that a precoated surface, even one with a low initial hydrophobicity, has a strong enhancing effect. Particulate organic matter, especially the larger size fractions, acted as a reservoir of waxes or hydrophobic materials which diffused onto the surfaces of sand grains during heating, and particularly during wetting/heating/drying cycles. Thus, intrinsic particulate organic matter plays a substantial role in the development of water-repellency in sandy soils. In addition to hydrophobic waxes which diffuse out under environmental conditions prevalent in the field, water-repellency increases significantly when these hydrophobic particles interact with the natural precoated hydrophobic surface of the sand.</jats:p>enJournal article003000268510.1071/SR9950253A1995QU602000032-s2.0-002883780266691